Exposed: Why Israel Failed to Strike Iran’s Supreme Leader During War

Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has confirmed that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was a top target during the recent military conflict.

Katz made the disclosure in an interview with Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan, on Thursday, June 26, 2025.

He revealed that Israeli forces were fully prepared to strike Khamenei if they had been able to confirm his location.

“If he had been within reach, we would have taken the shot,” Katz said.

“He understood this, went deep underground, cut off communication with commanders… so it was ultimately unrealistic.”

Khamenei reportedly went into hiding during the 12-day war that erupted between June 13 and June 24, making it impossible for Israeli intelligence to locate him in real time.

In a separate interview with Channel 13, Katz said such a mission is no longer under consideration following the ceasefire.

“There’s a difference between before the ceasefire and after it,” he noted.

Katz had earlier said that Khamenei “can no longer be allowed to exist,” reflecting growing hostility between the two nations.

Sources suggest the United States blocked an Israeli plan to carry out a strike against the Iranian leader.

Katz issued a fresh warning, urging Khamenei to remain in hiding and referenced the 2024 assassination of Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut.

“He should take a page from Nasrallah,” Katz added.

Khamenei, who has not left Iran since 1989, is known for his extreme secrecy and heavy security detail.

Israel continues to assert air superiority over Iran and claims to have damaged key nuclear facilities during recent strikes.

Katz confirmed that while enriched uranium stocks were not directly targeted, Iran’s nuclear infrastructure was disrupted.

“The material wasn’t the target for elimination,” he told Channel 12.

U.S. intelligence estimates say Iran’s programme was set back by several months, but Katz believes it could take years for Tehran to recover.

Iran denies pursuing nuclear weapons and described Israel’s military campaign as unprovoked aggression.

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